Glossary
What is a launch day?
Launch day is the date a product is publicly announced on a launch platform or to the world. On Product Hunt it runs from midnight to midnight Pacific time. Most of a launch platform's traffic to a product arrives on that day, so teams prepare for weeks and stay online for all of it.
Picking the day
On Product Hunt, Tuesday to Thursday get the most visitors and the most competition. Saturday and Sunday get fewer of both. Over the 30 days we tracked, the votes needed for #1 ranged from 251 to 1,855, mostly because of the day. Pick a day when your team can be online for all 24 hours and avoid big tech news days.
The day itself
- 12:01 a.m. PT: the launch goes live. Post the first comment.
- First hours: tell your users, newsletter and social followers. Ask them to look and leave feedback.
- All day: reply to every comment, fix bugs fast, share updates.
- Evening: thank people, post results, plan the follow-up.
After the day
Traffic drops within days. Turn the spike into something lasting: email new sign-ups, add the badge if you placed, send a launch email recap, and submit to the next directories on your launch plan. Our guide on what to do after a Product Hunt launch covers the week after.
Example
A team launches on a Thursday, staffs the comment thread in two shifts, ships two bug fixes before noon and posts a short update about them in the thread. The day ends at #4 with 900 sign-ups; a recap email two days later brings another 200 people who missed it.
FAQ
What time does a Product Hunt launch day start?
12:01 a.m. Pacific time. The day's ranking resets at midnight Pacific.
How long does launch-day traffic last?
Most of it arrives on the day. Some continues for two or three days from newsletters and social posts.
Should I launch on several platforms the same day?
Better not. Each needs your attention on its day; spread them out.